Towerworld 2101: The Babylon Trilogy – Book Two

After the meteor strikes of 2066, most of the earth is rendered uninhabitable. Those who survived the catastrophe now live in supermalls. These towering superstructures were built on the ruins of the old cities, housing what is left of human life on earth. Miles Murphy, an agent to rock stars, is one of these inhabitants of reconstructed London. After a series of mysterious encounters and unexplained phone calls, Miles arrived at a friend’s apartment only to find her dead. The prime suspect is the serial killer known as Passion Flower. Determined to find the killer, Miles gets wrapped up in a religious revolution, political corruption, and a war threatening to wipe out the rest of humanity. He comes across clues left by his dead father to add to the crusade and learns a little about himself in the process.

Towerworld 2101 by John Exe is the second book of the Babylon Trilogy. Full disclosure: I have not read Exe’s first book, but this whodunnit is intriguing enough to stand on its own. Written in the noir style, this book follows the unlikely detective through a 22nd-century murder mystery. The story goes beyond just a simple crime drama. From the threats that war brings, and intrigues coming from many directions, Miles must navigate all the detours and pitfalls in this story within a story. With how much goes on in this book, Exe does not lose the reader in pointless plots. On the contrary, the added drama enhances the storyline.

Exe’s novel is set at the beginning of the next century. The disasters and envisioned ways of life are plausible enough to make this a work of science fiction. Although the story machinations are exciting, the dialogue throughout the book is a bit unrealistic. It’s also difficult to relate to how characters are acting and reacting in the face of situational adversity. But where this novel misses with discourse, it makes up for with intense action and multiple plot twists.

Towerworld 2101 is the noir crime drama for the next century. Exe was able to draw from his experiences as a musician and producer in the entertainment industry to create his protagonist. The author combines his passion for the genres of thriller, mystery, and science fiction. Through Towerworld 2101 Exe weaves a fascinating tale of revenge and redemption: a story of connivance, conspiracy, and one man’s struggle to find the truth at all costs.